It's good, clean, lightweight fun

For all intents and purposes, 2002's The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course should not work, and the film's predominantly harsh critical reception reflects this notion. However, through an agreeable combination of its early-2000s charm and good-natured tone, the film works marvellously and has only improved with time. Collision Course is a feature-length expansion of Steve Irwin's The Crocodile Hunter television series, with director John Stainton (in his feature-film debut) creating the picture by mixing documentary-style segments with an incredibly goofy, broad narrative involving cartoon villains and CIA agents. The picture leans into its inherent ridiculousness, allowing the one-of-a-kind, wildlife-loving titular showman to engage in his trademark shtick, creating comedy with ease. The result is lightweight, enjoyable fun. Although imperfect, it is a joy to watch a movie of this ilk that does not take itself too seriously and relishes in delivering tongue-in-cheek entertainment.


When a satellite in space blows up, it sends a beacon hurtling towards Australia, where it winds up in the mouth of an enormous saltwater crocodile. Afraid that the beacon will fall into the wrong hands, the CIA dispatches two agents, Robert (Lachy Hulme) and Vaugn (Kenneth Ransom), to retrieve it. The crocodile in question lives near a cattle station owner named Brozzie (Magda Szubanski), who wants to kill the animal because it is eating her livestock. Her intentions bring her to the attention of the Department of Fauna and Fisheries, who dispatch Sam (David Wenham) to deal with the situation. Meanwhile, the Crocodile Hunter (a.k.a. Steve Irwin) and his wife, Terri Irwin (who plays herself), are busy filming their television show in Queensland when Sam hires them to relocate the crocodile away from Brozzie's property. When Steve and Terri encounter the CIA agents, the wildlife conservationists immediately mistake them for poachers and try to prevent the pair from catching or killing the crocodile.

Irwin was an educator and a conservationist, making it unsurprising that The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course also lets its star discuss the importance of wildlife conservation and the need to understand that animals are a crucial part of our ecosystem. It adds a meaningful message to the silliness without bogging the production down. The documentary segments throughout the film are unscripted, as Stainton allowed the titular Crocodile Hunter to interact with the animals they encountered during filming and say whatever felt natural. As a result, there are no animatronic or digital animals - all the wildlife footage is authentic and showcases real crocodiles, snakes, spiders, and lizards. Indeed, all scenes of Steve wrestling dangerous, lethal saltwater crocodiles for relocation are genuine. The only issue with these scenes is the almost never-ending hissing sounds, which make the animals sound more aggressive despite appearing placid. The snakes are the worst offenders in this regard, as snakes rarely hiss, while the crocodiles sound more like alligators. The overly dramatic sound effects contradict the otherwise naturalistic approach to these scenes.


Although Irwin cameoed in Dr. Dolittle 2 and lent his voice to Happy Feet, The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course is his first and only time taking the lead role in a feature film. With Stainton allowing Irwin to adlib consistently, even while performing alongside other actors during "scripted" scenes, the late Crocodile Hunter is a hoot here, and his premature death renders the production all the more cherished and appreciated. Other members of the Irwin family also appear, including the similarly charming Terri as well as Steve's beloved dog, Sui, while Bindi (the couple's daughter) features in archival footage at the end of the flick. Collision Course also features recognisable Australian actors in minor roles, including Kath and Kim's Magda Szubanski, as well as David Wenham, who was fresh from filming the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Despite the screenplay's absurdity, the actors never appear to be in on the joke, nor do they knowingly wink at the camera while desperately trying to generate comedy. Instead, they all commit to the material and their characters, though the performances are not exactly nuanced. Timothy Bottoms (The Last Picture Show) even makes an uncredited, amusing appearance as U.S. President George W. Bush.

Those who enjoy simplistic Australian comedies from the '90s and 2000s (think Kangaroo Jack) should have a good time with The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course, with its deliberately broad sense of humour and cartoonish sense of reality. Plus, with Stainton shooting the movie on celluloid instead of digital video (even the documentary segments were shot on 35mm, though they are presented in a different aspect ratio), it holds up over twenty years later and looks like a proper film instead of a cheap television movie. Collision Course is fun, clean entertainment for children and adults, delivering easygoing laughs with ease. It is not exactly memorable, but it's undeniably enjoyable while it lasts, and it has significant replay value. Additionally, the end credits feature an endearing montage of camcorder footage showcasing the Crocodile Hunter being his usual goofy self with animals, family members and coworkers (set to the Baha Men's Crocodile Rock). It's a fun way to close the movie, and the montage is now unexpectedly poignant after Irwin's passing.

6.3/10